NX 2013 Bus Orders

[JB93]

I'd have to agree. Look at it from the company's point of view - why fork out loads of money putting brand new buses in areas where they regularly do get vandalised. I used to moan about the run down Tridents on the 14, until I actually thought about it and realised why send a brand new sparkly double decker down Alum Rock Road?  :P

[Mike K]

Let's get it straight.  There never has been any plan by NXWM management for BC to get all of the Volvo hybrids and WN to get the E400H's.  This was just an assumption made on this forum.   

This is correct, although probably a logical assumption based on the numbers of each type ordered.

But thinking about it, if NXWM are still evaluating both vehicle types, which presumably they must be if they are still buying both, it makes sense to have each type running on the same routes and under the same operating conditions to allow like for like comparisons. I don't know the 1 route too well but I'm not sure it can be quite as slow as the 22/23 in peak times, where buses can crawl at just a few miles an hour through Harborne, Edgbaston and down Broad Street. So maybe NXWM gets to compare each vehicle type on routes with slightly different charcteristics.

From a personal perspective I'll be glad if BC keeps its current 9 E400Hs. It's nice to have a bit of variety on your local route, and the B5LHs can struggle a bit capacity wise on the 22/23 at peak times - the extra 9 seats on the E400H can make a difference.

And eveyone's a winner because PL get 21 brand new buses (you did recently get a shed load of brand new B7RLEs you know)

[Stuharris 6360]

I'd have to agree. Look at it from the company's point of view - why fork out loads of money putting brand new buses in areas where they regularly do get vandalised. I used to moan about the run down Tridents on the 14, until I actually thought about it and realised why send a brand new sparkly double decker down Alum Rock Road?  :P

Was in Wolverhampton the other day and a couple of their B7RLE's looked as though they hadn't been washed for weeks.

Surely it doesn't take much to put a vehicle through the washer.

[Tony]

I'd have to agree. Look at it from the company's point of view - why fork out loads of money putting brand new buses in areas where they regularly do get vandalised. I used to moan about the run down Tridents on the 14, until I actually thought about it and realised why send a brand new sparkly double decker down Alum Rock Road?  :P

Was in Wolverhampton the other day and a couple of their B7RLE's looked as though they hadn't been washed for weeks.

Surely it doesn't take much to put a vehicle through the washer.

Hadn't been washed for weeks? don't think so. Most garages did miss a couple of days in the very cold weather for safety reasons, but a bus can get absolutely filthy in about two hours on a wet or slushy day in January

[CRP2012]

I'd have to agree. Look at it from the company's point of view - why fork out loads of money putting brand new buses in areas where they regularly do get vandalised. I used to moan about the run down Tridents on the 14, until I actually thought about it and realised why send a brand new sparkly double decker down Alum Rock Road?  :P

Surely it doesn't take much to put a vehicle through the washer.

if the weathers too cold,some washers freezes over,meaning if a bus uses the water,it freezes up,bus carnt go out,they have to use other buses (IE older memebers of the fleet not normally out/smaller buses) then people have a good moan about that

plus a bus can get filthy within a hour so have you got any proof they havent been washed for weeks?

[Ash]

WB is the most neglected garage in terms of new buses recently, even the enviro 200's are being used at BC (new to BC 812-818 according to Tony's fleetlist) so won't be officially new to WB and apart from them the next newest bus is an 06 reg gemini. Similar to Wolverhampton an investment in new double deckers are needed for core Birmingham service such as the 74/75 at WB and may be the 126 at Wolverhampton.

[Stuharris 6360]

WB is the most neglected garage in terms of new buses recently, even the enviro 200's are being used at BC (new to BC 812-818 according to Tony's fleetlist) so won't be officially new to WB and apart from them the next newest bus is an 06 reg gemini. Similar to Wolverhampton an investment in new double deckers are needed for core Birmingham service such as the 74/75 at WB and may be the 126 at Wolverhampton.

Surely National Express must be considering what will replace Presidents & older Tridents, they are 13 years old this year, and have provided good service. but they can't carry on forever.

[PM]

WB is the most neglected garage in terms of new buses recently, even the enviro 200's are being used at BC (new to BC 812-818 according to Tony's fleetlist) so won't be officially new to WB and apart from them the next newest bus is an 06 reg gemini. Similar to Wolverhampton an investment in new double deckers are needed for core Birmingham service such as the 74/75 at WB and may be the 126 at Wolverhampton.

Surely National Express must be considering what will replace Presidents & older Tridents, they are 13 years old this year, and have provided good service. but they can't carry on forever.

Do we think that at some point NXWM will start replacing unrefurbed tridents as opposed to refurbing them so they can stay around another couple of years.

[Sh4318]

I doubt any tridents will be withdrawn for a while, they are required for Birmingham routes, and they are the only type of double decker BC now have. There are other vehicles that will be withdrawn before tridents

[winston]

I doubt any tridents will be withdrawn for a while, they are required for Birmingham routes, and they are the only type of double decker BC now have. There are other vehicles that will be withdrawn before tridents

Not to mention, that 13 years isn't that old & I doubt they are fully depreciated yet. The Spectra's will go first as they are non-standard & aren't the most reliable, but even those I don't reckon will be withdrawn for at least another 12 months

[Andrew1991]

So we know which buses are going to WN but what are they replacing ?

Upgrade of single routes to deckers or are some deckers transferring elsewhere ?

[winston]

So we know which buses are going to WN but what are they replacing ?

Upgrade of single routes to deckers or are some deckers transferring elsewhere ?

I would have thought that they may release some Tridents for transfer to other garages and also result in a cascade of vehicles at WN garage, where double deckers replace Mercs to increase capacity on one or two routes, some Mercs could be withdrawn & transferred out while further Mercs could be cascaded to displace the last 5 Excels for withdraw. Thus eliminating a vehicle type from WN

[richie]

So we know which buses are going to WN but what are they replacing ?

Upgrade of single routes to deckers or are some deckers transferring elsewhere ?

I would have thought that they may release some Tridents for transfer to other garages and also result in a cascade of vehicles at WN garage, where double deckers replace Mercs to increase capacity on one or two routes, some Mercs could be withdrawn & transferred out while further Mercs could be cascaded to displace the last 5 Excels for withdraw. Thus eliminating a vehicle type from WN

Fingers crossed for trident operation on the 246

[karl724223]

more older enviro on 246 due to the high milage problem on our 09 plates im told 30 older ones from brum poss yw plus 10 poss from pb

[Discodave]

more older enviro on 246 due to the high milage problem on our 09 plates im told 30 older ones from brum poss yw plus 10 poss from pb

At least its not PL's ones was on the 28 on a B6 and on cue ding ding ding and steam. Which garage have some come from well Pensnett or is it west brom either way they are all crap it was mentioned one had already been on a mansfield truck.